Self-adjusting multipurpose nozzle



- March 3, 1970 K. A. JoNssoN SELF-ADJUSTING. MULTIPURPOSE NGZZLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 22, 196'? y' ATTORNEY March 3, 1970 K. A. JoNssoN 3,497,903

SELFADJUSTI.NG MULTIPURPOSE NOZZLE Filed Nov. 22, 196'? 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIl-IIIII!! INVENTOR.

@ATTORNEY 5/ illlllllllil March 3, 1970 K. A. JoNssoN l3,497,905

SELF-ADJUSTING MULTIPURPOSE NOZZLE Filed Nov. 22. 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,497,903 SELF-ADJUSTING MULTIPURPOSE NOZZLE Kurt Alvar Jonsson, Stockholm, Sweden, assignor to Aktiebolaget Electrolux, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed Nov. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 684,975 Claims priority, application Sweden, Nov. '28, 1966, 16,274/66 Int. Cl. A47z 7/ 00 U.S. Cl. -319 9 Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A multipurpose nozzle including a hollow body having at least one brush to provide one operating surface which can perform a rst specific type of cleaning like a floor, for example, and a suction inlet opening about which another operating surface is provided to perform a second specific type of cleaning like a carpet, for example. The hollow body provides a path of flow for air leading from the suction inlet opening to an air outlet socket connected to a suction cleaner.

The hollow body has at least one chamber in communication with the path of air flow and a wall formed by a diaphragm to which the brush is connected. Resilient means acting on the diaphragm biases the brush to its rst cleaning position responsive to a first partial vacuum developed in the path of ow when the air flow therethrough exceeds a predetermined speed. When a second higher partial vacuum is developed in the path of flow when the air flow therethrough is at or less than the predetermined speed, the higher partial vacuum overcomes the biasing action of the resilient means and moves the brush to its second non-cleaning position which, in turn, renders the other operating surface automatically operable to perform the second specific type of cleaning. The brush or the other operating surface respectively can move to their cleaning positions automatically responsive to the speed of air flow through the nozzle and the vacuum developed by the moving air which is dependent upon the physical characteristics of the object to be cleaned.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My invention relates to a multipurpose nozzle which may be employed for different types of cleaning operations.

One factor which influences dust absorption is the speed of the air ow through the nozzle for bodily moving and transporting dust and dirt particles from the object to be cleaned to the dust bag in the suction cleaner. In a moving air stream, movement is imparted to a particle of dust or dirt by a force which is dependent upon positive atmospheric pressure at one side of the particle and a pressure at the opposite side thereof which is below atmospheric pressure. Hence, movement is imparted pneumatically to dust and dirt particles by a force which is dependent upon the difference between atmospheric pressure and the vacuum developed by the cleaner. The speed of the air flow increases with increase in the volume of air moved. The capacity of brushes and nozzles working on objects is a primary and basic consideration which determines the ability of a suction cleaner to absorb dust and dirt.

When brushes are employed to suck and draw dust particles from essentially smooth objects like floors, for example, the pneumatic force just referred to is not as great as it is when a porous object is being cleaned. In cleaning porous objects like carpets, for example, a brush generally is not employed and instead a nozzle is employed having an operating surface which is at the 3,497,903 Patented Mar. 3, 1970 ICC immediate vicinity of the suction inlet opening and disposed about the latter. With a nozzle of this type, dust and dirt must be sucked or drawn from the pores of an object and a higher vacuum is developed in the nozzle passageway so that movement will be imparted pneumatically to dust and dirt particles by the pneumatic force referred to above which is dependent upon the difference between atmospheric pressure and the partial vacuum developed in the nozzle passageway which, under these conditions, is higher than the partial vacuum developed when a brush is employed to clean objects which are essentially smooth and less porous.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved multipurpose nozzle having a number of operating surfaces available and each one of which automatically becomes available to perform a specific type of cleaning depending upon the physical characteristics of the object to be cleaned.

Another object is to provide a multipurpose nozzle of this type having at least two operating surfaces available and one of which functions to perform the first specific type of cleaning when the airflow in the path of flow in the nozzle exceeds the predetermined speed and the other of which functions to perform a second specific type of cleaning when the air flow in the path of flow is at or less than the predetermined speed.

A further object is to provide a multipurpose nozzle of the above type having at least two operating surfaces available and one of which functions to perform the first specific type of cleaning responsive to a .partial vacuum of one magnitude which is developed in the path of flow in the nozzle when the air ow therethrough exceeds the predetermined speed and the other of which functions to perform the second specific type of cleaning responsive to a partial vacuum of another magnitude which exceeds the one magnitude and is developed in the 4path of flow when the air ow therethrough is at or less than the predetermined speed.

A still further object is to provide a multipurpose nozzle of the above type in which the one operating surface is movable between a first position to perform the first specific type of cleaning and a second non-cleaning position and the one operating surface is moved to its second non-cleaning position by diaphragm means which is movable responsive to the partial vacuum of the other magnitude which exceeds the one magnitude and is developed in the path of flow of the nozzle when the air flow therethrough is at or less than the predetermined speed.

A still further object is to provide a multipurpose nozzle of the above type in which the one operating surface is biased to its operating position by resilient means responsive to the partial pressure of the one magnitude which is developed in the path of flow of the nozzle when the air flow therethrough exceeds the predetermined speed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a suction cleaner having a suction line provided with a multipurpose suction nozzle embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken at line 22 of FIG. l, to illustrate the suction nozzle of FIG. 1 more clearly;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing parts in different positions with respect to one another;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan View taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of parts shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 to illustrate the construction more clearly;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional View similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrating a further embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken at line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawing, I have shown my invention in connection with a horizontal tanktype suction cleaner which includes a casing 10 having an end cover 10a. The end cover 10a is provided with an inlet 10b to which a suction line 11 is connected. The suction line 11 includes a suction hose 11a which is adapted to be removably secured to the inlet 10b in any suitable manner (not shown). The suction line also includes a multipurpose nozzle 12 embodying my invention and a wand 11b which is connected to the outer free end of the hose 11a.

Air is drawn through the suction line 11 into the casing 10 by a suitable motor-fan unit (not shown) disposed therein. Dust and dirt entrained in the air during a cleaning operation are separated from the air when the latter passes through a dust collecting member (not shown) disposed in the casing, and air from which dust and dirt have -been removed is discharged from the casing 10 and an outlet at the end thereof opposite the end cover 10a.

The suction cleaner nozzle 12 embodying my invention comprises an elongated hollow body 14 to an intermediate region of which is connected an upwardly inclined tubular member 15. The tubular member 15 serves as an outlet socket adapted to be removably connected to the lower end of the wand 11b. The hollow interior of the body 14 provides a passage 16 through which air is drawn toward the outlet socket 15 from the region of an elongated inlet opening 17.

The body 14 is provided with a downward depending skirt 14a which is formed to receive a flange 18a at the peripheral edge of a bottom plate 18. The bottom plate 18 is fixed to the skirt 14a by an annular member 19 of resilient material like rubber, for example, the prevent injury to the nozzle 12 itself and to furniture and wall baseboards which accidentally may be contacted by the nozzle while it is being manipulated over a surface to be treated.

The passage 16 in the body 14 is defined by a pair of spaced vertical walls having their lower ends recessed at the inner surfaces to receive upward extending flanges 18b formed in the vbottom plate 1S. The flanges 18b dene the elongated inlet opening 17 of the nozzle 12.

The portions of the bottom plate 18 disposed about the opening 17 provide an operating surface of the nozzle 12 to perform a specific type of cleaning of porous objects like a carpet 21, for example, which is shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2 the elongated air inlet 17 includes long spaced sides and shorter connecting ends and defines a suction inlet through which air is drawn through the hollow body 14 to the air outlet socket 15 and thence through the wand 11b and suction hose 11a to the suction inlet end 10b of the suction cleaner. v

The hollow body 14 also is provided with elongated spaces at each side of the passage 16. Within these spaces are disposed elongated members 22 which are of inverted U-shape in cross section, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and include spaced sides 22a and closed ends 22b. The spaced sides 22a respectively bear against the outer surfaces of the walls 20 and the inner surfaces of the skirts 14a and their lower free ends are formed with flanges which are firmly held between the lower ends of the walls 20 and skirts 14a and the bottom plate 18. The closed ends 22b of the inverted U-shaped members 22 divide the elongated spaces at each side of the walls 20 into top and bottom chambers 23 and 24, respectively.

The inverted U-shaped members 22 are formed of elastomeric material which may comprise any suitable resilient substance, such as natural rubber or synthetic rubber or other rubber-like plastics. Thus, the term rubber as hereinafter used in the specification is intended to include other rubber-like plastics. The closed ends 22b of the rubber members 22 serve as diaphragms which are provided with spaced projections 22a` at the undersides thereof. Each pair of spaced projections 22C defines a cavity 22d which extends lengthwise of the elongated rubber members 22.

A pair of elongated lbrushes 25 are provided at 0pposing sides of the suction inlet opening 17. Each brush 25 includes a row of bristles 25a fixed to a brush back 25h firmly held in one of the cavities 22d formed by the projections 22C, as best shown in FIG. 6. The diaphragms 22b are movable between upper and lower positions illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively, in a manner that will be explained presently. When the diaphragms 22b are in their upper positions shown in FIG. 2, the brushes 25 are disposed in the bottom chambers 24. When the diaphragms 22b are in the lower positions shown in FIG. 3, the brushes 25 extend downward through elongated openings 26 in the bottom plate 18 with the lower ends of the bristles 25a resting on an essentially smooth surface to be cleaned, such as a floor 27, for example. The brushes 25 may be referred to as a pair of operating surfaces which perform a specific type of cleaning and are relatively movable with respect to the operating surface defined 'by the portion of the bottom plate 18 disposed about the suction inlet opening 17.

The top surfaces of the diaphragms 22b and the bottom surfaces of the top walls of the upper chambers 23 are formed with bosses or lugs 28 and 29, respectively, which are distributed lengthwise of the upper chambers 23 and arranged to receive the lower and upper open ends, respectively, of helical coil springs 30 which function to bias the diaphragms 22b to their lower positions illustrated in FIG. 3.

The nozzle 12 may be supported in any suitable manner while it is being manipulated by the wand 11b to space the suction inlet 17 from the floor 27 when the bristles 25a engage the floor, as shown in FIG. 3; and to determine the extent to which the portion of the bottom plate 18 disposed about the suction inlet opening 17 extends downward in the tufts of the carpet 21, as shown in FIG. 2. For example relatively thin rollers 31 may be mounted for rotation on the body 14 in any suitable manner (not shown) to support the nozzle 12 on a surface to be cleaned in the manner just explained.

The walls 20 of the passageway 16 are apertured at 32 to establish communication between the upper chambers 23 and the path of iiow for air in the nozzle 12. The apertures or openings 32 may be distributed lengthwise of the elongated passageway 16.

When the nozzle 12 is moved over a non-porous or relatively smooth surface like the floor 27, for example, and the suction cleaner is being operated to provide a source of supply of air at a partial vacuum, a partial vacuum of one magnitude will be developed in the passageway 16 which will be transmitted through the openings 32 into the upper chambers 23 when the air flow through the passa-geway 16 to the outlet socket 15 exceeds a predetermined speed. Under these conditions the partial vacuum in the upper chambers 23 will be ineffective to overcome the biasing action of the springs 30 and the latter will act on the diaphragms 22b and urge the brushes 25 downward to a first position in which the brushes function to perform a first specific type of cleaning, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

When the brushes 25 engage the oor 27, the rollers 31 space the Suction inlet opening 17 the proper vertical distance from the floor 27 so that dust and dirt will be drawn into the suction inlet 17 by a pneumatic force which is dependent upon the difference between atmospheric pressure and the vacuum developed at the suction inlet 17 by the suction cleaner.

When the nozzle 12 is moved over a porous object like the carpet 21 in FIG. 2, the dust and dirt rnust be sucked or drawn from the pores of the object and the pneumatic force just referred to must be greater to bodily move the dust and dirt particles into the suction inlet 17. This force is dependent upon positive atmospheric pressure at one side of the dust particles and a pressure at the opposite side thereof which is below atmospheric pressure.

In FIG. 2, therefore, a partial vacuum of another magnitude will be developed in the passageway 16 which exceeds the aforementioned one magnitude and will be transmitted through the openings 32 into the upper charnbers 23 when the air ow through the passageway 16 to the outlet socket is at or less than the aforementioned predetermined speed. Under these conditions the partial vacuum in the upper chambers 23 will be effective to overcome the biasing action of the springs 30 and move the diaphragms 22b upward which in turn will raise the brushes from the positions shown in FIG. 3 (in which they function to perform the first specific type of cleaning) to the positions shown in FIG. 2 in which the brushes move into their non-cleaning positions in the lower chambers 24.

When the brushes 25 move to their raised non-cleaning positions in FIG. 2, the other operating surface formed by that portion of bottom plate 18 disposed about the suction inlet 17 moves downward into contact with the tufts of the carpet 21. When this occurs the rollers 31 function to maintain the suction inlet 17` at the correct height so that the nozzle 12 will function lproperly to clean the carpet 21 or similar porous object.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and just described, the coil springs are employed to bias the diaphragms 22b downward to move the brushes 25 to their lower positions illustrated in FIG. 3. If desired, weights may be provided at the bosses 28 or distributed in any other suitable manner at the top surfaces of the diaphragms 22b to bias the latter downward by force of gravity. When weights are employed in place of the coil springs 30, the diaphragms 22b will be moved upward from the lower position shown in FIG. 3 to their upper positions shown in FIG. 2 when the partial vacuum of the aforementioned other magnitude is developed in the upper chambers 23 which exceeds the one magnitude and is developed when the air ow through the passageway 16 is at or less than the predetermined speed.

In order to promote movement of the diaphragms 22b between their upper and lower positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively, they may be of undulating form, as shown in FIG. 6, and include annular portioins of one thickness alternating `with annular portions of less thickness.

In View of the foregoing, it will now be understood that the brushes 25 or other operating surface formed by that portion of bottom plate 18 disposed about the suction inlet 17 can move to their cleaning positions automatically responsive to the speed of air flow through the nozzle 12 and the magnitude of the vacuum developed by the air moving in the suction line 11 which is dependent upon the physical characteristics of the object to be cleaned.

When cleaning a porous object like the carpet 21, for example, it may be desirable to effect vigorous cleaning thereof by moving the brushes 25 to their lower operative positions at the same time that the portion of the bottom plate 18 disposed about the suction inlet 17 is operable to effect cleaning of the carpet, as shown in FIG. 7. This may be readily accomplished in accordance with my invention by providing an opening in the suction line, the size of which can be adjusted by a movable slide.

As shown in FIG. 7, the air outlet socket may be provided with an opening 33 and a slide 34 movable lengthwise of the socket 15 in guides 3S to control the flow of ambient air drawn into the suction line 11 and regulate the partial vacuum transmitted to the suction inlet 17 in passageway 16 from the vacuum cleaner. The opening 33 may be of such size that the coil springs 30 will be capable of biasing the diaphragms 22b downward to move the brushes 25 to their effective cleaning positions illustrated in FIG. 7 at the same time that the portion of the bottom plate 18 disposed about the suction inlet 17 contacts the pores of the carpet 21 and is rendered effective to clean the latter.

When the slide 34 is moved so that ambient air will pass through the opening 33 into the suction line 11, the vacuum developed in the passageway 16 of the nozzle 12 can be reduced sufficiently so that the air flow through the passageway 16 will be at or less than the predetermined speed and at the same time the partial vacuum developed in the upper chambers 23 will be of such magnitude that the biasing action of the coil springs 30 cannot be overcome and they will be effective to move the diaphragms 22b downward and maintain the brushes 25 in their effective cleaning positions.

The nozzle 12 just described and shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 7 is provided with an elongated passageway 16 and an elongated suction inlet 17. It will be understood that the nozzle may be provided with a suction inlet which is centrally disposed at the bottom of the nozzle body and the brush may be of annular form and disposed about the suction inlet opening. Such a modification is shown in FIG. 5 in which parts similar to those shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are referred to by the same reference numerals to which has been added. In the modification of FIG. 5 the suction inlet .117 is circular and the -brush is ring-shaped and disposed about the suction inlet 117.

I claim:

1. A multipurpose suction nozzle comprising:

(a) a hollow body having vertically disposed wall means which forms a downward extending passageway and terminates in an opening defining a suction inlet, said body also having an air outlet socket adapted to be connected to a source of supply of air at a partial vacuum and means providing a path of flow for air betwen the suction inlet and outlet socket,

(b) brush means disposed exteriorly of said Wall means at the vicinity of said suction inlet, said brush means having vertically disposed bristles depending downward therefrom,

(c) first means for mounting said brush means to reciprocate on said body between raised and lowered positions, and

(d) second means for rendering said first mounting means operable to move said brush means relative to said hollow body to its raised position responsive to flow of air in said path which is at or less than a predetermined speed and for rendering said fir-st mounting means operable to move said brush means relative to said hollow body to its lowered position responsive to flow of air in said path which exceeds the predetermined speed,

(e) the tips of said bristles being at a level above that of said suction inlet when said brush means is in its raised position on said hollow body and at a level below that of said suction inlet when said brush means is in its lowered position on said hollow body.

2. A suction nozzle as set forth in claim 1 in which:

(a) said second means renders said first mounting means operable to move said brush means relative to said hollow body to its raised position when a partial vacuum of one magnitude is developed responsive to ow of air in said path which is at or less than the predetermined speed, and

(b) said second means renders said first mounting means operable to move said brush means relative to said hollow body to its lowered position when a partial vacuum of another magnitude which is less than lsaid one magnitude is developed responsive to dlow of air in said path which exceeds the predetermined speed.

3. A suction nozzle as set forth in claim 1 in which said rst means for mounting said brush means to reciprocate between its raised and lowered positions includes flexible diaphragm means operable to move said brush means relative to said hollow body to its raised position when a partial vacuum of said one magnitude is developed responsive to ow of air in said path which is at or less then the predetermined speed.

4. A suction nozzle as set forth in claim 3 in which said hollow body includes structure providing a chamber which is outside said path of air iiow and in communication therewith and defined in part by said flexible diaphragm means.

5. A suction nozzle as set forth in claim 4 in which said structure providing said chamber includes said wall means, said wall means being apertured at a region adjacent to said suction inlet to establish communication between said path of air ow and said chamber.

6. A suction nozzle as set forth in claim 3 which includes:

(a) resilient means functioning to bias said flexible diaphragm means and render the latter operable to move said brush means relative to said hollow body to its lowered position when a partial vacuum of another magnitude which is less than said one magnitude is developed responsive to ilow of air in said path which exceeds the predetermined speed,

(b) the partial vacuum of said one magnitude developed responsive to ow of air in said path which is at or less than the predetermined speed functioning to overcome the biasing of said flexible diaphragm means by said resilient means to move said brush means relative to said hollow body to its raised position.

7. In combination,

(a) a vacuum cleaner providing a source of supply of air at a partial vacuum and having an air inlet and an air outlet,

(b) a suction line which is connected to the inlet of said vacuum cleaner and includes a multipurpose suction nozzle at the outer end thereof,

(c) said nozzle comprising a hollow body having vertically disposed wall means which form-s a downward extending passageway and terminates in an opening defining a suction inlet, said body also having an air outlet socket adapted to be connected to a source of supply of air at a partial vacuum and means providing a path of ow for air between the suction inlet and outlet socket, (d) brush means disposed exteriorly of said wall means 8 at the vicinity of said suction inlet, said brush means having vertically disposed bristles depending downward therefrom,

(e) rst means for mounting said brush means to reciprocate on said body between raised and lowered positions, and

(f) second means for rendering said first mounting means operable to move said brush means relative to said hollow body to its raised position responsive to -flow of air in said path which is at or less than a predetermined speed and for rendering said rst mounting means operable to move said brush means relative to said hollow body to its lowered position responsive to flow of'air in said path which exceeds the predetermined speed,

(g) the tips of said bristles being at a level above that of said suction inlet when said brush means is in its raised position on said hollow body and at a level below that of said suction inlet when said brush means is in its lowered position on said hollow body.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 in which said rst means for mounting said brush means to reciprocate between its raised and lowered positions includes flexible diaphragm means operable to move said brush means relative to said hollow body to its raised position when a partial vacuum of said one magnitude is developed responsive to flow of air in said path which is at or less than the predetermined speed.

9. A suction nozzle as set forth in claim 8 which includes:

(a) resilient means functioning to bias said exible diaphragm means and render the latter operable to move said brush means relative to said hollow body to its lowered position when a partial vacuum of another magnitude which is less than said one magnitude is developed responsive to flow of air in said path which exceeds the predetermined speed,

(b) the partial vacuum of said one magnitude developed responsive to ow of air in said path which is at or less than the predetermined speed functioning to overcome the biasing of said exible diaphragm means by said resilient means to move said brush means relative to said hollow body to its raised position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1939 Karlstrom 15-382 XR 9/1954 Pfafe et al 15-371 ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 15-371, 373 

